HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston Police Department Chief Noe Diaz rescinded the department’s traffic stop policy on Wednesday.
In a memo to Mayor John Whitmire, Diaz wrote, “Thank you for bringing attention to the longstanding directive, established under a prior administration, mandating a minimum of one traffic stop per day for patrol officers. After careful review, we’ve determined that this directive no longer aligns with current best practices for patrol officers.”
Whitmire reportedly contacted Diaz about the directive after three Houston City Council members placed an item on the council’s agenda through Proposition A, calling to amend a city ordinance barring traffic stop quotas.
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Houston City Council approved a nearly $1 billion agreement with the Houston Police Officers Union, making the department the highest-paid in Texas.
District F Council Member Tiffany Thomas said the quota was enacted in 2022 to address pandemic-era safety concerns.
Thomas, District J Council Member Edward Pollard, and District B Council Member Tarsha Jackson placed the item before the council for a vote after meeting with activists and the police union.
“This is a good start, but this is just one of many changes that need to be done,” Christopher Rivera with the Texas Civil Rights Project said.
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